Peacock cichlid tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for peacock cichlids are mollies, yellow labs and firemouth cichlids. Each match shares peacock cichlids' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Calmer than mbuna. Keep one male per colour or many males.

Temperature

76–82°F

pH

7.8–8.6

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank

55 gal

With care

57

Avoid

30

Good tank mates

• Molly76–82°F
• Electric yellow cichlid76–82°F
• Firemouth cichlid76–82°F
• Blue gourami76–82°F
• Oscar76–81°F
• Chinese algae eater76–80°F
• Paradise fish76–79°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish76–82°F
• Kissing gourami76–82°F
• Platy76–80°F
• Swordtail76–79°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Different water: bettas want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive. Peacock cichlids hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Guppy Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Angelfish Different water: angelfish want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Mystery snail Large peacock cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Convict cichlid Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Yoyo loach Different water: yoyo loaches want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bristlenose pleco Different water: bristlenose plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bichir Different water: bichirs want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Honey gourami Different water: honey gouramis want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Rainbow shark Different water: rainbow sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Pearl gourami Different water: pearl gouramis want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Clown loach Different water: clown loaches want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Elephant nose fish Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, elephant nose fish want pH 6–7.5.
• Common pleco Different water: plecos want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Corydoras Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Sparkling gourami Different water: sparkling gouramis want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Clown pleco Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, clown plecos want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Red tail shark Different water: red tail sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Dwarf gourami Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, dwarf gouramis want pH 6–7.5.
• Bamboo shrimp Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, bamboo shrimp want pH 6.5–7.5.
• African dwarf frog Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.8.
• Pictus catfish Different water: pictus catfish want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Nerite snail Large peacock cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Siamese algae eater Different water: siamese algae eaters want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Kribensis Different water: kribensis want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Tiger barb Different water: tiger barbs want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Bala shark Different water: bala sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Crayfish They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Electric blue acara Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, electric blue acaras want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Hatchetfish Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, hatchetfish want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Bolivian ram Different water: bolivian rams want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Congo tetra Different water: congo tetras want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Assassin snail Large peacock cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Ramshorn snail Large peacock cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Upside down catfish Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, upside down catfish want pH 6–7.5.
• Otocinclus Different water: otocinclus want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Blood parrot Different water: blood parrots want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Zebra pleco Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra plecos want pH 6–7.5.
• Dojo loach They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Zebra loach Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, zebra loaches want pH 6–7.5.
• Cherry barb Different water: cherry barbs want pH 6–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Zebra danio They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, dwarf neon rainbowfish want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Lemon tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, lemon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Pencilfish Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, pencilfish want pH 5–7.5.
• Glass catfish Different water: glass catfish want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Panda cory They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Black skirt tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, black skirt tetras want pH 6–7.5.
• Black neon tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, black neon tetras want pH 5.5–7.5.
• Harlequin rasbora Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, harlequin rasboras want pH 6–7.5.
• Tinfoil barb Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, tinfoil barbs want pH 6.5–7.5.
• GloFish tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, glofish want pH 6–7.5.
• Glowlight tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, glowlight tetras want pH 6–7.5.
• Odessa barb Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, odessa barbs want pH 6–7.5.
• Serpae tetra Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, serpae tetras want pH 6–7.5.
• Rosy barb They only share 76–77°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Pea puffer At 6 inches a peacock cichlid can swallow a 1-inch pea puffer whole.
• Kuhli loach Different water: kuhli loaches want pH 5.5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Ghost shrimp A peacock cichlid is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
• Cherry shrimp A peacock cichlid is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Koi Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. They overlap only at 76–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 6 inches peacock cichlids do.
• Apistogramma Different water: apistogramma want pH 5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Endler's livebearer At 6 inches a peacock cichlid can swallow a 1-inch endler's livebearer whole.
• Amano shrimp A peacock cichlid is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
• Silver dollar Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, silver dollars want pH 5–7.
• Silver arowana Different water: peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, arowanas want pH 6–7.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than peacock cichlids.
• Severum Different water: severums want pH 6–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• German blue ram Different water: rams want pH 5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Rummy nose tetra Different water: rummy nose tetras want pH 5.5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Cardinal tetra Different water: cardinal tetras want pH 4.6–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Ember tetra Different water: ember tetras want pH 5.5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Neon tetra Different water: neon tetras want pH 6–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Chili rasbora Different water: chili rasboras want pH 4–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Discus Different water: discus want pH 5.5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Hillstream loach No shared temperature. Hillstream loaches need 68–75°F, peacock cichlids need 76–82°F.
• Killifish Different water: killifish want pH 5.5–7, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Flowerhorn Flowerhorns are aggressive and much bigger than peacock cichlids.
• Celestial pearl danio At 6 inches a peacock cichlid can swallow a 1-inch celestial pearl danio whole.
• Pygmy cory At 6 inches a peacock cichlid can swallow a 1-inch pygmy cory whole.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); peacock cichlids need 76–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Gold barb No shared temperature. Peacock cichlids need 76–82°F, gold barbs need 64–75°F.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the peacock cichlid care sheet.